Woman Hoards 105 Cats In Her ‘No Pets Allowed’ New Paltz, New York Apartment

A parasite present in cat feces can make people mentally unwell, claims a research report. Photo: Reuters

Sharing a tiny apartment with a roommate can be rough -- one New Paltz, N.Y., woman upped the ante by sharing her two-bedroom home with more than 100 cats.

The unidentified woman reportedly contacted a social worker this week so she could receive help in removing the felines from her New Paltz apartment. The AP reported that it took Ulster County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals workers several hours Wednesday to remove 105 cats and kittens from the home.

The Mid-Hudson News reported that the woman’s underage daughter, who was also living in the apartment, is currently a concern for Child Protective Services caseworkers.

Officials said the woman claimed she was planning to find homes for the cats, reported the AP. The cat woman’s landlord said the apartment had an obvious no-pet policy.

Mid-Hudson News reported many of the female cats were pregnant, and some were suffering from mild respiratory or intestinal illnesses.

The cat are currently being cared for at an animal shelter in Kingston, N.Y., and will be available for adoption in seven to 10 days.

In January, a complaint about the strong smell of cat urine coming from an upstate New York home resulted in authorities finding 99 live cats and 69 dead one, some of which were found stuffed in plastic bags, at 50-year-old Irene Vandyke's home. The Schoharie County homeowner was classified by authorities as fitting the profile of a classic hoarder.

The manager of a nearby animal shelter, Kerrie Colin, helped in the removal of the animals and said the woman became irate when the cats were removed.

“The minute anyone tried to take her cats, she freaked out and threw them off her property,” Colin said. “She’s not a horrible person. She just needs help and counseling.”

Schoharie County Sheriff Tony Desmond said he felt bad for Vandyke, whom authorities believe began collecting the animals after her husband’s death.

“We felt sorry for her and bad for the kittens at the same time,” Desmond said.

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